Semi-Happy Ending
by Eeva Spectre
Summary: Finally: My first story on ! :D This short story takes place some years after the game and should just be seen as what it is: A small scene of what COULD have become of Julian and the player's character, in this case named Candarra. WARNING: Might be a little cheesy, but it's not a true trashy novel. (I guess... X] )


I'm standing in the kitchen, readying tonight's dinner and some tea, when I suddenly hear a door slam from downstairs. For the shop is already closed at this time of day, there can only be _one _person, entering the house without my permission as shopkeeper...

„Candarra, darlin', I'm back home!" I can hear Julians voice loud and clear. The sound of hasty footsteps coming up the stairs makes me smile and feel a lot more comfortable, than I already am.

„ Ah! There you are." Julian grins widely, when he sees me standing there at the stove, the beautifully painted teapot in hands, Portia gave to us as a wedding gift. He takes me in his arms and hugs me tight, nearly dropping the pot I'm still holding with his action. When he realizes his 'mistake' he immediately lets go of me and apolgizes, face red as a ripe tomatoe.

I chuckle. „How was your day, honey?", I ask him, while putting the teapot down on the kitchentable. Then, I walk over to where he's still standing and kiss him gently on his cheek.

„Pretty full.", he answers me and starts fumbling with his boots to get them off, „There were lots of people at the clinic today. ' Guess, it's because of the flu..."

All of a sudden, he lets out a small shriek and flinches back a little, when a slim, white form slides past him into the kitchen, comig out of nowhere.

„You! Do you always have to shock me like that..." He fixes his gaze on the white animal sliding along the kitchenfloor, flinging her tongue at him in amusement.

„Of course, you have.", he murmurs then, pretending to have been mortally offended.

I chuckle again and hold out my hand towards Faust, who has stopped right in front of me. Immediately, she winds herself up my arm an hides into my pali cloth.

„Hey! Not so fast, old lady... - You know whose girl she is anyway, don't you?"

Julian gives her a glance, as if to say 'I'm warning you, my friend' then makes a wry face when Faust sticks her head out of my scarf and answers him with a rather amused sounding _Squeeze!_

I can't help myself but laugh and pat the snake gently on her head while Julian's still pouting. But after a few more seconds, he pretends to give up and starts laughing himself.

„Where is our little hero?", he askes finally, after we both have calmed down a little.

„Upstairs in his room. He said, he wanted to pratice a little with the cards until dinner's ready. Wait a second... - Asra!"

I turn myself towards the small staircases that lead to our sleeping chambers.

„Asra, darling... Won't you come downstairs for a moment? Daddy's back home!"

Within a second, I hear another door swing open and the sound of the quick tapping footsteps of a child, heading towards the stairs.

„Be careful, Honey!", I call to the small figure stumbling down the staircase in such great excitement, that it makes me really worry, he might slip and fall down the small stairs every moment...

„Daddy!"

He throws himself into Julians arms and buries his face deep in his fathers chest, after being liftet up there.

„Hey, little super magician. How are things going today?" Julian softly caresses his thick, dishevelled, red hair.

„Fine. And for you? Could you help many people today, Daddy?" Asra smiles pleased against his father's chest and then lifts up his tiny head, curiosity in his bright, purple eyes, when he gazes at Julian's face.

None of us has ever come to know, why our son has this kind of eyecolor, for neither Julian, nor me has purple eyes. But I presume, that it is because of the magic that was used upon us both many years ago...

„I hope so.", Julian answers the question, hand still resting on Asra's head. „And what about you? Did you take good care of your mother today?"

Asra glances over at me, as if to ask me if he did so. And, when I smile at him, he returns the gesture and answers rather proudly: „Always."

All of a sudden, my pali cloth is rustling again and within no time, Faust puts her red-eyed face out of the thick, darkblue fabric once again.

_"Asra!"_

She slips out of her 'nest' with no problems and down my arm, to land onto the kitchentable next to the teapot.

„Faust! There you are!" The child is getting a bit unsettled when he realizes his best friend.

„I've been searching for you all day, you know?"

He laughs in relief, then sends me a hopeful but questioning gaze.  
„Mommy, can Faust and I go outside and play for a while?"

He also looks at Julian with the same expression on his tiny face. „We won't go too far away... And we'll be back, as soon as dinner's ready, I promise!"

I smile again and nod in agreement, while Faust next to me wiggles her tail in mere excitement.

_"Love a play_!", she says happily and starts rumoring around on the table.

„Allright, allright." Julian sets Asra down on his own two feet and the boy quickly turns towards the snake on the table.

„But be careful, you two and don't exaggerate it, right..."

He's also smiling at the picture of Faust sliding up Asras arm and curling gently around the boy's neck. „And no _Squeezing_!", he adds, peering at the white snake cuddling with his son.  
Asra giggles and caresses Faust's head when she fiffles her tongue against his ear.

_"No Squeezing_!", she promises and leans her head against the boy's cheek, "_Love a boy_!"

Asra again starts to laugh, pulls on his coat and then the two set already off for the town...

After they have left the building and schut the door behind them, Julian turns again towards me and pulls me gently into his arms.

„Are you both okey, too, Candarra?", he whispers in my ear after kissing me gently on my forehead. Then he places one hand carefully onto my belly. „How is our little princess doing?"

Gently, he caresses the meanwhile pretty round shape underneath my wide shirt.

„We're both pretty well, Ilya." I smile and lean into him to feel him a again a little more close. Julian sights in relief an leans his head against my shoulder.

It's been a couple of years by now, since we've become a happy little family like this. But sometimes, I have the feeling, Julian still can't believe that this happiness is ever meant to stay...

I understand him. After all the things, we've been through in the past. The loss of some of our best friends, the experience of being separated from each other at least a thousand times and of nearly dying ourselves. All those things have left their marks upon our hearts and souls.

I lean back a little, cup Julian's face into my hands and make him look into my eyes.

„Don't worry too much, Ilya...", I whisper in a soft tone, slowly rubbing his cheeks with the tips of my thumbs, „This time, the good things are definately ment to stay."

Then again, I smile at him and silence his further doubts with a soft but passionate kiss.


End file.
